submitted graphic
A digital mockup of the National Guard training facilty being built in Arden Hills by engineering firm Leo A Daly. It’s scheduled to be done in late 2020 and will house some 800 soldiers.

The Minnesota National Guard broke ground on a new headquarters in Arden Hills Oct. 15.

Construction on the $40 million, 136,000-square-foot building next door to the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant site and current Rice Creek Commons development is scheduled to be complete in late 2020.

The Army owns the land for the new headquarters and leases it to the National Guard. The city will help with building inspections, said Arden Hills Mayor David Grant, but, outside of that, the site is under Army control.

The headquarters will be a training site for the Red Bull Division, housing some 800 soldiers at a time.

"We're looking forward to having them in Arden Hills," said Grant in an interview. "They certainly add an element to the fabric of our community."

It's also good for business.

"When you have that many people come to your town, they buy gas, they go to grocery stores. All the things you would expect," he said.

Grant said Arden Hills has a longstanding history with the military, dating back to the start of TCAAP in 1941 at the outbreak of World War II.

"When you think of the Minnesota National Guard, you think of the Red Bulls," said Grant, adding the facility is a "really positive development" to have in Arden Hills.